Los Angeles police deployed tear gas to end an 8-hour-long standoff with an armed man who barricaded himself on board an Amtrak train early Saturday morning, The Associated Press reported.
Amtrak identified the man as 46-year-old Oxnard resident Darius Palmer. Palmer was arrested and brought into custody and a handgun was recovered at the scene, an Amtrak spokesperson said.
UPDATE CHATSWORTH – Barricaded armed suspect on #AMTRAK train in custody after tear gas deployed. Area safe. pic.twitter.com/Tt2KjrRlRC
— SEB (@SEBLASD) September 17, 2016
According to the AP, the train was evacuated late Friday night after witnesses saw a man with a firearm acting in a bizarre manner. The uproar caused the train to stop in the San Fernando Valley, so law enforcement could do a search. The train was carrying 187 passengers and 5 crew members at the time of the incident.
“Someone reported that he dropped a gun – likely was then reported to the train folks –and that’s when things escalated,” Amtrak passenger Allison Bird told KABC-TV.
Firearms are not allowed in carry-on luggage on Amtrak trains. However, passengers can check firearms prior departure if the guns are secured (unloaded and locked in containers) as per requirements of Amtrak policy.